celebrity chef tour
Chattanooga chef Daniel Lindley of St. John’s Restaurant is becoming the Susan Lucci of the James Beard Awards. Nominated—and passed over as a finalist—four times for the Best Chef Southeast Award, Lindley is nevertheless honored by each nomination.
In that spirit, Lindley is bringing together seven James Beard Foundation Award nominees, semi-finalists and culinary professionals from the South and Southeast, in a single event on April 25. Benefiting the James Beard Foundation, the Celebrity Chef Tour offers attendees a rare opportunity to experience the diverse culinary talent of this distinguished lineup.
Joining Lindley in the kitchen at St. John’s will be acclaimed chefs Katie Button (Cúrate, Asheville), Kelly English (Restaurant Iris, Memphis), James Lewis (Bettola, Birmingham), Steven Satterfield (Miller Union, Atlanta), Michael Stoltzfus (Coquette, New Orleans) and Michael Sullivan (Blackberry Farm, Walland). Each chef will compose a dish, demonstrating his or her individual expertise, artistry and culinary background for this intimate seven-course dinner.
“It is a great honor for me, and for the restaurant, to bring such a talented group of chefs to my hometown,” said Lindley. “Gathering six of the South’s leading chefs in Chattanooga is exciting in itself; doing so in support of the James Beard Foundation makes it even better.”
The James Beard Foundation Awards, the nation’s preeminent honors for culinary professionals, are awarded to chefs and restaurants, as well as for outstanding books, restaurant design and wine program. The awards will be announced in May.
The Celebrity Chef Tour began working with the foundation in 2004, bringing the unique experience of dining at the James Beard House to cities across the country. The Tour has helped raise over $900,000 for the James Beard Foundation, which is dedicated to celebrating, nurturing and preserving America’s culinary heritage and future.
The celebration begins at 6:30 p.m. at St. John’s with cocktails and passed hors d’oeuvres, followed by a seven-course dinner with wine pairings.
For more information, contact the restaurant at (423) 266-4400 or visit stjohnsrestaurant.com